Boiler cleaner



N. l.. sNow 1,766,959 5 BOILER CLEANER June 24,l 1930.

Filed May 2'5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet lNI/ENTOR.

N. L. SNOW BOILER CLEANER June 24 1930.

Filed May 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheenl 4 e var/55155515 A TTORNEY Patented June 24, 193@ UNITED LSTIA'ES NORMAN SNOW, OF DETROIT, IVIICHIGAN7 ASSIGNOR! T0 DIAIYIGND POWER SPECIALTY CORPORATON, F DETROIT, MTCHGAN, A GORPORATIQN OF MICHIGAN IBOILER CLEANER Application filed May 25,

The invention relates to boiler cleaners and refers more particularly to an improved blower construction particularly adapted7 though not necessarily so limited, to remove A slag deposits and the like from parts of the boiler heating surfaces such as the boiler tubes.

The invention provides a blower element which is adapted to be yprojected under the influence of the cleaning iiuid pressure transversely of the fire chamber to direct one or moieljets of cleaning liuid against slag depositsv which accumulate especially on the lowermost rows of vboiler tubes nearest to the combustion chamber of the boiler. The blower element may; however, be located in any portion of the boiler desired and)` is equally adapted to remove soot and other deposits or accumulation on various parts of the boiler.

A further provision of the invention re sides in a discharge nozzle head which may have two discharge nozzles of substantially the same size whereby the nozzle head is 25 balanced, thus avoiding any thrusts transversely of the blower element.V Such a construction also readily adapts itself to the aforesaid operation in travelling between the first and second rows of tubes or between other ofthe tubes of the boiler whereby the blower element may be reciprocated or partially rotated or rotated 360. In either instance the effect will be to effectively utilize the discharged cleaning fluid jets for all angles of rotation of the cleaning element and to obtain 36()O of effective blowing for 180 of rotation of the blower element.

AV still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a sectional blower element adapted to be projected under the influence of the cleaning fluid with means for controlling the movement or travel of the blower element. By reason of such construction it is possible to clean parts of the 7 boiler at points intermediate the extreme limits of travel of the blower element.

Other features of the invention reside in the provision of a reduction gear drive for rotating or reciprocating the blower element; the provision of sections which are inter- 1925. Serial No. 32,799.

connected to permit relative longitudinal movement but adapted to rotate together; and the provision of bearing surfaces at the points of support between the successive sections, which surfaces are decreased on successive outward sections of the blower element.

`With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel. features of construction and combination and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a boiler showing one location of my blower element;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation view of one form of my boiler cleaner showing the sections of the blower element is retracted position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure l is an end elevation view showing the chain drum and the parts associated therewith;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation view of the brake mechanism located at 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along 6 6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a view showing the sections of the blower element in projected position;

Figure 8 is a sectional View along 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of blower head and element;

Figure 9a is a sectional view along 9a-9fL f of Figure 9;

Figure 10 is a view corresponding to Figs ure 1 showing one position for locating the blower shown in Figure 9, and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in cross section illustrating a further modified con-- as shown in Figure 1, may be located between the lowermost row of boiler tubes B and the adjacent row of boiler tubes B2. In detail the blower F may be constructed as shown in Figure 2, in which 10 indicates the blower head having a cleaning fluid inlet 11 for conducting any suitable cleaning Viluid from a source of supply of cleaning fluid and thence to the lower element G. This lower element may be formed of'a plurality of sections, the outermost of which as indicated at 12 is preferably rotatable within the blower head 10 but nonprojectible. The section 12 may be supported at one end by the roller bearings 13. 14 indicates a gear carried by the section 12 j at the other end thereof, the gear 14 meshes with a pinion 15 driven by a sheave 16 through a shaft:Vv 17 mounted to rotate in the blower head 10.v The sheave 16 may be actuated by the usual chain 17 or other preferred means. 18 indicates a thrust bearing adapted to take up the thrust axially of the blower element when the same is projected under the influence of the cleaning fluid as will be presently apparent; 19 indicates a shaft mounted transversely of the blower head v10, the shaft rotatably mounting la guide pulley 20 over which is adapted to pass a flexible member such as a chain or the like 21. 22 represents fixed lugs or guide members for maintaining the proper position of the chain 21 during its travel over the guide pulley 20. 23 indicates the innermost section of the blower element G, the section 23 carrying a blower nozzle head 24 preferably formed with the discharge nozzles 25 and 26. These nozzles may have their axes arranged at an angle with the axis of the blower element and may be of the same size whereby the blower element will be in a balanced condition free from n side thrusts or thrusts in a direction transversely of the axis of the blower element. 27 indicates a spider rigidly carried by the section 23. The chain 21 has one end attached to the spider 27 preferably through a swivel joint or connection 28. As shown in Figure 8, the sections of the blower element G are provided with registering flattened portions to permit their relative longitudinal movement but to cause'them to rotate together as a unit.

29 represents a drum housing within which is mounted the chain drum 30 for receiving the flexible member or chain 21. 31 repre sents a shaft extending transversely through ,the drum housing 29 for mounting the drum 30. The shaft 31 is provided with an extension outside of the drum housing and upon this extended portion of the shaft 31 a brake drum or wheel 32 is mounted to rotate with the shaft. 33 is a brake band which is arranged to frictionally engage the circumference of the brake drum 32 and restrain the rotation thereof. The brake band 33 has oneend liixed at 34 as best shown in Figure 5 and has its other end formed with a projection 375. 36 is a tension rod carrying the rotatable hand control member 37. The latter member is formed with a portion engageable with the projection 35 whereby upon rotation of the hand control member 37 the -free end of the brake band will be drawn 7 toward the fixed end to applya braking force to the drum 32 in a manner which will be readily apparent. j

As shown in Figure 1 the blower isprefcrably located between the lowermost row of boiler tubes and the row of tubes adjacent thereto in order to effectively remove the slag and other accumulations from this portion of the boiler. In operation with the parts as shown in Figure 2 cleaning fluid is admitted to the blower head causing a piston eect at the nozzle head 24 thereby tending to urge the successive sections of the blower element G into the projected position as shown in Figure 7. By' reason of the hand control member 37 the operator may control the rate of rotation of the brake drum 32 and hence the chain drum 30 which rotates in accordance with the travel of the various successive sections of the blower element by reason of the chain 21 connected with the'section 23. It is therefore apparent that the operator. may not only control the rate at which the sections of the blower element are projected but if desired the blower nozzle head 24 may be brought to a complete standstill at any point intermediate the extreme points of travel of the nozzle head. In either the extreme points of travel of the nozzle head or at any point intermediate thereof the nozzle head may be rotated or 4reciprocated by reason of the sheave 16. Movement of the latter sheave is transmitted through shaft 17` pinion 15 and gear 14, to act upon the rotatable section 12 whereby a corresponding movement is transmitted through the various sections of the blower element and thence to the nozzle head 24. v

In the projected position of the sections as shown in Figure 7 the bearing surfaces at points of support between the successive sections such as indicated at H are decreased outwardly of the blower element. By reason of such construction the sections of the blower element are maintained in a rigid condition free from axial sag or distortion.

By reason of the discharge nozzle head having the two discharge nozzles of substan# tially the same size the nozzle head and hence the blower element is balanced against side thrusts as aforesaid, also such construction adapts itselfV to the aforesaid operation in travelling between adjacent `rows of boiler tubes whereby the blower element may be reciprocated or partially rotated through an arc of 180 or rotated 360. In either illstance the e'ect will be to utilize the discharged cleaning fluid jets from the two y nozzles for all angles of rotation ofthe cleanius ing element thereby obtaining 3600 of elfective blowing for 180 -of .rotation of the blower element;

At the end of the blowing period the sections of the blower element may be retracted to the position shown Figure 2 by actuation of the crank 3S mounted on the shaft 3l, the retraction being accomplished by reason of the chain 2l being wound about the chain drum 30. j

It will be noted that I have provided a reduction gearing through which rotation of the blower nozzle head is accomplished, the reduction gearing being carried by the blower head. I have further provided a blower construction in which the blower element is provided with chain winding drum and brake control mechanism arranged closely adjacent the blower head.

Instead of the aforesaid balanced nozzle read construction I may provide a nozzle head having one main discharge nozzle and an oppositely directed smaller discharge nozzle which affords a practical balance for the nozzle head without material waste of the cleaning fluid discharged from the smaller balancing discharge nozzle. ln this in stance it is preferable to canse the blower element to travel below the bottom row of tubes and to reciprocate or partially rotate the blower element 18Go. In Figure l0 I have shown the blower F arranged in accordance with such a construction, the blower Il" being shown located below the lowermost row of tubes ll.

to Figure 9 I have shown a mo ed construction of a blower having a blower nozzle head especially adapted for use where the blower is positioned as shown in Figure l0. In this construction l0 indicates the blower head provided with the rotatable section l2 adapted to be rotated as before by rer son of a gear 14a driven from the sheave l l through a` shaft l'Za and pinion 15.

521i repress ts the discharge nozzle head carried by the scc-tion 23a, the nozzle head being provided with a main cleaning fluid discharge nozzle 25a and a second nozzle 26 of considerably 'loss discharge capacity than the main nozzle. 'Ihese nozzles are as before rarranged at angle with the longitudinalA cleaning fluid discharged therefrom at all times. The discharge nozzle 26a in this instance substantially balances the blower element against side thrusts, while at the same time because of its reduced size, it does not materially waste the cleaning fluid.`

In the construction shown in Figure 9 I have provided a flexible member for controlling the movement of the sections of the blower element, which flexible member is illustrated in this instance as a wire 21ZL connected at one enc through a swivel joint or connection 2 a to the element 23a. 27a represents a spider carried by the elementQE1L for mounting the swivel oint 28 and at the same time providing a series of openings 39 for the passage of cleaning fluid. In this construction the drum 30 and the braking mechanism associated therewith may be located outside of the. passage of the cleaning fluid as shown in Figure 9, the wire 21a passing through a. suitable .st-uiting box 410. The drum 80"L and the brake mechanism associated therewith are adapted to control the projection and retraction of the blower element in substain tiallv the same nu mor as before described.

Referring to Figure 1l I have shown a still further type of blower head in which the reduction gearing for rotating the blower nozzle head is mounted outside of the path of the cleaning fluid. In this instance the blower head l()b is adapted as before to house the rotatable section 12b of the blower element. rEhe section 12b is provided with a portion extending forwardly through the blower head as indicated at 12. For supplying cleaning fluid to the blower nozzle head the section 12b may be provided with one or more ports ll. 181 indicates a thrust bearing for taking up the axial thrust due to the piston effect produced by the cleaning tluid acting in projecting the sections of the blower. The portion 12C of the section 12b is adapted to carry the gear` la driven by sheave 16 through the pinion l5. In this instance the reduction gearing between the sheave 16C and the section 12b is mounted outside of the path of the cleaning fluid, the reduction gearing being incorporated or carried by the blower head 10b.

By the term rotate as used throughout the specification and claims I mean one or more complete or partial rotations of the blower element.

'What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a boiler cleaner, an extensible and retractable lower element mounted for rotation7 means for supplying a cleaning lluid to said blower element, the cleaning fluid acting on said blower element and tending to extend the same, a single blower nozzle head Carried by said blower element and movable relative to the boiler surfaces to be cleaned upon the extension of the blower element, means for checking the extension of said blower ele ment by the cleaning fluid at a plurality of desired points to locate the said blower nozzle head in a plurality of blowing positions, means for rotating the blower element with 5 the blower nozzle head in any one of its blowing positions, and a flexible element for returnlng the blower element to its retracted position.

2. In a boiler cleaner, an extensible and retractable blower element mounted for rotation, means for supplying a cleanin fluid to said blower element, the cleaning md acting on said blower element and tending to extend the same, a flexible element for returning the blower element to its retracted position, a single blower nozzle head carriedv by said blower element and movable relative to the boiler surfaces to be cleaned upon the extension of the blower element, a brake coopzo erating with said flexible element for checking the extension of said blower element by the cleaning fluid at a plurality of desired points to locate the said blower nozzle head in a plurality of blowing positions, and means for rotating the blower element with the blower nozzle head in any one of its blowing positions. Y

3. In a boiler cleaner, a blower element formed of a plurality of telescopic sections, means for supplying a cleaning fluid to said t blower element, the cleaning fluid acting on said blower element and tending to project the sections of the same, a single blower nozzle head carried by the innermost section of uv said blower element, said blower nozzle head t being movable with said section relative to the boiler surfaces to be cleaned upon projection of the section, a flexible element connected to the innermost section of said'blower L0 element, a drum cooperating with said lexm ible element to provide means for retracting the blower element, a brake associated with said drum for checking the pro'ection of said innermost section at a plurality of desired points to locate the said blower nozzle head in a plurality of blowing positions, and means for rotating the blower element with the blower nozzle head in any one of its blowing positions. In testimony whereof I ailix my signature. n1

NORMAN L. SNOW.

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